Swimming device



Feb. 16, 1932. B7 5. GlRDEN 1,845,263

SWIMMING DEVICE Filed Dec. 9, 1929 INVENTORY 7 2TT0RNEYS.-

Patented Feb. 16, 1932 o'NirEn STATES BARNEY 13. ianna, on NEW YoRKQN. Y.

1 SWIMMING nnvicn I Application filed December 9, 1929. Serial No. 415,559.

This invention relates to devices for use in swimming instruction whereby thewearer may devote his entire time to the mechanics of the stroke being used while obtaining a free supply of air, and simultanously learning the fundamentals of the method of breathing while swimming.

A general object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described which may be readily-and economically manufactured, which is eflicient in operation,-which is light and compact in form and which may be worn with ease and comfort.

A more specific object is to-provide a device adapted to cover the mouth of the wearer and to be held easily and securely by action of the lips, said device being equipped with a substantially rigid or self-supporting air tube passing therefrom to the surface of the water in a manner such that' the wearer is unhampered thereby in his swimmingactivities and being formed at its end with novel means to prevent ingress of water thereinto.

Other objects of'the invention will in part be'obviousand will in part appear hereinafter. y I

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of 'the application of which will be indicated in thefclaims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should 'be had to the following detailed description drawings, in which i I Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the invention applied to a swimmer;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the embodiment'shown in Fig.1, a portion of the device being broken away for clearness of disclosure; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of-the device taken in connection with the accompanying T taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the embodiment shown comprises a plate-member 10 of light water-proof material such as celluloid, aluminum, rubber or the like, which is shaped to conform to the face of the swimmer about the mouth: The. plate-member 10 is provided on its inner side with a relatively short projecting member 11 generally elliptical in shape and having bear ing surfaces 12 and 13. The bearing surfaces 12 are adapted to be gripped by the lips of the swimmer, and the bearing surfaces 13 are adapted to restagainst the teeth of the swimmer, whereby the device can be securely held in the mouth without appreciable effort or discomfort. If desired, the plate may. also be equipped with pins 14: towhich a strap 15 may be secured to aid in holding the def vice improper position. I

The projection 11 on the plate 10 is formed with a hole 17 to which is attached a selfsupportingtube 18 of thin metal or the like which is bent outwardly and upwardly at 19 to pass by the side of the head, and extends upwardly, at 20 a sufficient distance to clear the surface of the water when the swimmer is in swimming position, and'is then bent in a U at 21 to form a short downwardlyprojecting leg 22. j i

The operation of the'device is obvious, the airbeing drawn downthe tube 18 into the mouth of the swimmerand exhaled through the nose directly into the water. The tube 18 is preferably'of a diameter of about and is aboutl8 to 2Q long so that air may .be rea'dilyi drawn therethrough and if the swimmer desires also to exhale through his mouth the residual air'inthe tube will not be of sufficient volume to make continued breathing troublesome. In case of waves on V the surfaceof the water, or even in case of diving, the downwardly projecting leg 22 forms a seal and prevents the ingress of water into the tube. 1 7 7 i It will thus be seen that there has been'provided a; light, compact and useful device which is adapted to operate efliciently for the purposes aforesaid, and since certain changes may be made in the. above construction, and different embodiments of the invention could be. made, without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontaine'd in the above description or shown in "the accompanyingdrawings shall claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is: I

1. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a plate conforming to the portion of the face ofthe swimmer about the mouth, a relatively short projection on the inside of said plate terminating forward of the teeth of the wearer, and a single selfsupporting tube attached to said plate and connectingwith an opening in said projection, said projection being generally elliptical in shape and forming a bearing surface for the lips.

2. Adevice of the class described comprising, in combination, a plateconformmg to the portion of the face of the swimmer about the mouth butterminating at a point beneath his. nose whereby free discharge of air through the nose ispermitted, a relatively short projection on the inside of said plate terminating forwardof the teeth of the wearer, and a single self-supporting tube attached to said plate and connecting with an opening in said projection, said projection being generally elliptical in shape and extending outwardly and flaring slightly from said plate to form a bearing surface for the lips.

8. A device of the class described comprising," in combination, a plate conforming to the portion of the face of the swimmer about the mouth, a projection on the inside of said plate, and a self-supporting tube attached to said plate and connecting with an opening in said projection, said projection forming a bearing surface for the lips, said self-supi 1 porting tube ext ending laterally and upwardly from said plate and terminating in a U- bend forming a short rearwardly and downwardly projecting leg.

4. A device of the class described comprising in combination a mouthpiece adapted to be secured against the mouth of the wearer, a self-supporting tube communicating with an opening in said mouthpiece whereby air can be drawn through said tube by the wearer, said tube extending outwardly and upwardly past thesurface of the water when the wearer is in swimming position, and terminating in a rearwardly and downwardly projecting leg which forms a seal against the ingress of water when thewater rises above the top of the tube.

5. A breathing attachment for swimmers, comprising a mouth-covering plate arranged to leave the nose'of a wearer free and formed I with a central aperture, a single self-supporting tube extending from said aperture transversely of the wearers head and beyond the same and having an outer end bent to form an arc of approximately 180 and communicating directly with the atmosphere, and a short tubular projection carried on the in side of said plate and terminating short of the wearers teeth, said-tubular projection being formed with a bearing surface for the Wearers lips.

6. A breathing attachment for swimmers, comprising an apertured plate adapted to fit closely about the mouth of the wearer and terminating .ata point beneath his nose whereby free discharge of air through the nose is permitted, an inner extension of the apertured portion of the plate providing a bearing surface for the wearers lips, said extension in its'entirety being disposed 'forwardly of the wearers teeth, and a single self-supporting tube extending from the' aperture in said plate transversely of the' wearers head and bent at its outer end to form an air seal. Y j

7'. A breathing attachment forswimmers, comprising an apertured plate adapted to fit closely about the mouth of the wearer and terminating at a point beneath his nose whereby free discharge of air through the nose. is permitted, an inner extension of the apertured portion of the plate providing a bearing surface for the wearers lips and terminating forwardly of his teeth, and a single self-supp orting tube extending from the aperture in said plate transversely of the wearers head and above the same and having a U-shaped outer end'adapted to communicate'directly with the atmosphere.

8. A breathing attachment for swimmers, comprising a mouth-covering plate arranged to leave the nose of a wearer free and formed with a central aperture, a single self-supporttube extending from said aperture transversely of the wearers head andbeyond the same and having an outer. end bent to form an arc of approximately v and communicating directly with the atmosphere, a short tubular projection carried on the inside of said plate and terminating short of the wearers teeth,said tubular projection being formed with abearing surface for the wearers lips. and a strap having its ends secured to said plate and extending about the wearers head.

In testimony whereof I'aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

BARNEY' B. GIRDEN- 

